The terms 2D and 3D designate images of two-dimensional and three-dimensional maps respectively, as is generally used in the field of diagnostic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
In the field of MRI, relaxation time mapping is a useful imaging instrument which is profitably used in the diagnosis of diseases affecting a variety of anatomic regions, from brain to limbs.
At present, the most advanced protocol for 3D T1 and T2 relaxometry involves the acquisition of 4 sequences (Deoni et al. US2005/0256393). Such great number of acquisitions has two apparent drawbacks, which might affect the quality of results and have an impact on everyday clinical practice: on the one hand the long duration of the protocol; on the other hand the considerable risk that any inadvertent movement of the patient might affect the quality of the individual images and perfect registration of different series (which is essential during combined post-processing of contrasts).
Document “T1 Quantification With Inversion Recovery TrueFISP,” by Klaus Scheffler and Juergen Henning, Magnetic Resonance in Medicine, 45:720-723 (2001) discloses the use of a True FISP sequence for determining T1 maps. TrueFISP sequences are subjected to a series of artefacts, the most relevant of which is the so called “banding artefact”. This artefact is generated by the modulation of the signal in bands in as a consequence of varying homogeneity of the field. This particular artefact is clearly disclosed in the above mentioned document and particularly in FIG. 5 at page 722. From the disclosure of this document it appears clearly that the intensity profile of the T1 map due to the above artefacts may be subject to intensity modulation of about 100% of the mean value.
Thus using a TrueFISP sequence for determining T1 maps cannot lead to a sufficient quality of the said quantisation.
Document “Rapid estimation of Cartillage T2 Based on Double Echo at Steady State (DESS) With 3 Tesla” by Goetz H. Welsch et al, Magnetic Resonance in Medicine, 62:544-549 (2009) discloses the use of a DESS sequence for estimating T2 maps.
Document US2008/197841, discloses a system for determining exemplary values for acquisition parameters for a given imaging time by using signals caused each by one of two different excitation sequences one of which is specified to be a double spin echo sequence. The double spin echo sequence has nothing in common with a DESS sequence. In particular the Double Spin Echo sequence necessitates of an acquisition geometry and of acquisition times which are completely different from the ones of the steady state sequences. In addition it would be very difficult to integrate a Double Spin echo sequence with a steady state sequence for mapping T1 and T2 because the signals acquired with the steady state sequence are dependent from T2* while the signals acquired with the double spin echo sequence do not show this dependence.
None of the methods disclosed in the above mentioned documents tries to take into account the bias effects and systematic errors introduced in the relaxometry by the SS contrastdependence on the T2*. The T2* relaxation time has a different behaviour as the T2. Not considering the influence of the T2* lead to artefacts and errors in the determination of the mapping of the relaxation times.